Continue Plus 7
Here is an unsolicited suggestion to improve one’s writing skills. Always write about what you believe to be true. The same advice holds for both fiction and non-fiction.
Several decades ago I started reading a mystery novel. The writing exercise was properly structured and well written. I lost interest in the work when the author described in exquisite detail how the murder weapon was “by luck” found in a native coconut palm grove near the beach at low tide on South Padre Island, Texas.
Only problem is there are no coconut palm groves, especially “native coconut palm groves” on South Padre Island, Texas. The totally untrue information caused me to lose faith in the rest of the author’s story.
Another example, fire is hot; or would you rather read that the blazing almost hypnotizing camp fire was not hot enough to blister a new born baby’s skin.
All the adjectives or well used adverbs compiling the world’s largest thesaurus can not convert an obviously incorrect statement into truth.
Being an individual who has spent most of their professional career working along America’s southern border, I can assure you that much criticism of the “border fence” is based on hypocrisy of racism, unethical capitalism greed, and or contempt for American traditions rather than physical security.
A small but sizeable percentage of America’s minority citizens are still emotionally devoted to the concept: Anglo against Hispanic racism is wrong though Hispanic against white or black racism is acceptable.
A recent example involves a South Texas mayor whose opposition to the border fence could be Hispanic against Anglo racism, simple greed and or contempt for American traditions.
The mayor’s comments that three thousand dollars offered by the federal government to border land owners to survey locations for the fence was “blood money” represents actions of one whose priorities are serving Mexico or greed, certainly not America.
The mayor has the right to express his not in America’s national security views. The federal government has the right based on taxpayer demands to not provide the mayor’s town with a single federal dollar.
Parents are not inclined to reward children for bad behavior, so why should American communities that provide loyalty to foreign governments like Mexico receive benefits from American taxpayers by way of the American people’s federal government?
Back to my unsolicited suggestion, an example of truth in non-fiction followed by an example of truth in non-fiction.
“71 Blues Waltz”
John R. Marshall
Blank always something
Some say I paint with words
Like artists paint with colors
More like re-arranging words
Know you can do the math
Increasing downside average
Something not to forget
Thing called 71 blues waltz
Something always follows
Still have my health
Finances staying a bust
No family speak of
No love to flatter
Friends losing faith
No home to return to
No past to return to
Blank in always something
Some say I paint with words
Like artists paint with colors
More like re-arranging words
Know you can do the math
Increasing downside average
Something not to forget
Thing called 71 blues waltz
Something always follows
Friends, family, home, love
More like graveyards
Drifting to the unknown
Roadside parks no cruise
Seeking the terrible beauty
Relief from the blues
Keeps the drifting free
Blanking always something
Some say I paint with words
Like artists paint with colors
More like re-arranging words
Know you can do the math
Increasing downside average
Something not to forget
Thing called 71 blues waltz
